


All I ask of you

by youngwolfbro



Category: X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Angst, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Erik has Issues, Fights, Fluff and Angst, M/M, They're starring in a musical, This is a musical guys, phantom of the opera is involved, this will be very sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:47:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24180829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngwolfbro/pseuds/youngwolfbro
Summary: Charles does a favor to his sister Raven. The problem is that by doing that favor he gets casted for a role in a musical that he doesn't even know that well, as the co-protagonist. The protagonist is an amazing singer and a stunning man and he can't ignore his desire to know him better and better. They have one year to prepare their play and, maybe, to fall just a little bit in love. Charles was not prepared for this.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier, Moira MacTaggert & Charles Xavier
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'll start by saying that English is not my first language. Neverthless, I am doing this experiment because I really do wanted to learn writing better in English and also because I had to many feelings about Charles and Erik and this idea I came up with that I just had to share with somebody. I hope there won't be major grammare mistakes, but if you find it it would be amazing if you would tell me! That said, ths fic can be read without knowing the musical but I strongly recommend it (at least to listen to the songs) because it's beautiful and because the fic will talk often about the rehearsals and the play, and because it sets the atmosphere of what their are singing. Anyways it can still be understood in its interity without many problems

« Charles, _please_ », asked again an insistent Raven.  
« Raven, I don't know how I could help you », he aswered patiently, yet again. He was sitting on the couch, legs crossed and not even looking up to look at the person who was talking to him. He had been meaning to study that night and stared intently at the words printed on the book that he was holding, but since his sister stormed in their apartment talking about her theatre club he didn't have a moment of silence. 

« The guy who is supposed to play this part isn't very good. It wouldn't be much of a challenge to you. » She seemed very serious and, as much as Charles respected her hobby, he had never taken part in it and didn't find it of great interest.

« You know I don't know anything about musicals. I mean », he finally looked up to her to meet her eyes « the one you are talking about is terribly famous. I don't even know the songs, though. Or the plot! » He had concluded smiling, trying to make her understand how ridicolous it was to ask him to do something like that.  
Raven insisted that she wanted to play him a major part in the play they were preparing this year, because the only candidate for the part didn't seem fit to her. Her ony solution, apparently, was to say they should do an audition without knowing anybody that would take part in them though. What she was asking was that he should at least try going to the audition for her, since he had a pretty ok voice that Raven had praised for le last half a hour, trying to convince him.

« I just want this play to be good. And Alex is not good enough for that part, but if no other name pops up magically, it will go to him.» She sinked in the armchair next to the sofa where Charles was sitting and grumbled. He smirked softly, curling the sides of his mouth upward; he suspected that one of the reasons that made so important her task to find a substitute depended on the fact that she wasn't excessively fond of Alex Summers, given his habit of making fun of their dear friend Hank.

« I know that you don't like him, but that doesn't make him a bad singer », he aswered « and he's not even that bad, he's just a little immature and you and Hank shouldn't be paying much attention to him », finished Charles, pointing again his glare on the book with a satisfied grin on his face, as if he had everything figured out. Raven turned red and sprang suddently in a more erect position, « It's not about Hank! I'm honest, he's just not good enough to play Raoul. You have a much prettier voice than him », concluded her, nodding, trying to appear less embarrassed than she actually was. 

Charles sighed. This conversation was lasting too long and he started to feel that Raven cared about this more than he had imagined; she only asked one thing of him, that was showing up at this audition and give it a try. Anyway, even if he did that, he probably wouldn't be chosen. The only thing she wanted was that he sincerly tried. 

« I have the feeling that I will regret saying this », he observed, closing his book without having managed to read even a line « but I guess I could try turning up to the audition. That doesn't necessarily means that they'll choose me, right? », he finished, even if he didn't seem thoroughly convinced.  
A luminous smile blossomed on his sister's face, eyes shining, and she hugged him.

« Thank you Charles, thank you so much! » The man chuckled at the utter joy that she was showing.

« Hey, you shouldn't be already saying thanks. There's a big probability that I will fail », he said jokingly. 

« Even if it doesn't go well, you will have tried. And I'm sure you will be amazing, I heard you sing under the shower Charles », she nodded again, knowingly, as if she was a music critic describing his talents. He couldn't suppress another large smile. « I'll do my best », said Charles, thinking secretly that anyways it couldn't go that well: he had never done anything like that, why would they choose him?

Later that evening Raven gave him the lyrics of the song he had to learn: he had a week. The name of the song was That's all I ask of You. He oughted to watch the movie of The Phantom of The Opera before starting.

  
  


* * *

On that week end, Raven took him to the small auditorium were they practiced. They attended a fairly small college, so Charles had seen it before, not only because his sister was in the theatre club or something─he didn't know the exact wording he should be using to descibe their group─, but also because being the college smaller than average, the play was a pretty big deal for the students. Aside from the sports events, it was one of the extracurricular activities that arised more attention, being the other students associations minor, giving their compact number of members. He had to admit though that he never paid much attention to the actors that weren't his sister, aside from Hank, Alex or Sean, but usually they were part of the ensemble or in any case didn't have major roles. In fact, he suspected that Hank was in this club majorly because of his sister, but never dreamt of saying anything. They had to figure out that on their own and he didn't want the get into their business. 

It was a chilly afternoon, after the end of his classes. November was at their doors, and the wind started to have the cutting puff that characterized the cold autumns they had there. He was more in the mood of a cup of tea in front of the fireplace than to do what Raven expected from him; he figured that in an hour or so he woud have been free to do so. His sister was smiling and entered the auditorium from a side door in a grey wall. When they enetered Charles heard muffled voices and, just before opening another door he heard an organ scream strongly. He frowned. « Shouldn't the auditions be accompanied with a piano? », he asked confused. 

« Yes, but this is no audition », she answered with a brow lifted and smiling wryly. « These are two guys from the main cast rehearsing. One of them already knows the part very well and they are trying it out with the music that we're going to use for the play. »   
She opened the door and Charles found himself in a dark room: he could see the illuminated stage, where two people were standing.

A girl with dark hair and cat eyes started singing with the voice of a nightingale.   
In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came, that voice which calls to me and speaks my name  
Charles looked with renewed attention. He surely wouldn't be chosen. These guys were absolutely too good. After the first verse sang by the woman, the man that was on stage with her draw attention to him by starting singing. His voice was husky and while he and Raven walked over the front row of seats he gained a better view of the man himself. 

_Sing once again with me our strange duet,_   
_my power over you grows stronger yet_   
_and though you turn from me to glance behind..._   
_The Phantom of the Opera is there_   
_inside your mind_

He had striking blue eyes, that were fixated in front of him, observing what from the singer's point of view should have been darkness. He appeared neat, his hair pulled back and wearing a black turtleneck that underlined his wide shoulders and well-built figure. Charles was completely caught off guard by his voice, feeling as if it was shaking something from inside of him he didn't even knew it was there. 

_In all your fantasies, you always knew, that man and mystery_ , he sang and Charles shivered, without being sure why. He was astonishing. Their performance grew more and more intense and he noticed that everyone in the theatre was watching in silence: he wasn't the only one to be in awe in front of such a demonstration, apparently. They were singing the parts of the leading roles anyways, so he figured that it was justo obvious that they were so good. Their voices raised higher and higher and he was affected by the passion they were putting in this rehearsal, till the climax of the song. 

_I have needed you with me to serve me, to sing_   
_For my music_   
_My music..._

The man concluded. And suddently, everyone snapped back to the real world; Charles realized he had been holding his breath and noticed Raven looking at him knowingly. 

« I know right? They're very good », she emphasized. « But don't let it intimidate you, you'll be amazing. » He was smiling, ready to answer that they were in fact amazing, but when Raven let him remeber that he would have had to sing in front of this people his smile faltered a bit, feeling suddently out of place. What was he doing there?   
He looked the man that sang before him again, seeing a girl congratulating to him, that answered with a wide and infectous smile.   
A girl that seemed some years younger than them, her brunet hair tied up in a pony-tail, talked over the others: « Ok guys, now let's to the audition for Raoul's part! »  
Charles looked Raven and smiled gently. « Here goes nothing. »  
There were five people auditioning for that role apparently. He sat in the front raw, waiting for his name to be called. Alex sat next to him. 

« I heard you will be my rival today », he murmured jokingly while another guy was singing. 

« Don't worry, I won't be a menace at all », answered facetiously him.

« C'mon, don't be so hard on you », said genuinely the fair haired man. Raven didn't like him because of his continous skirmishes with Hank. Charles had known him for a shorter time than her ─in fact, it was Raven that introduced them─ but he didn't dislike him. He saw the situation between the two men more like a weird way to show affection to each other; if at first Alex's jokes about Hank's nerdiness felt uncomfortable and unwelcomed, now it was evident that they weren't meant to be hurtful and usually Hank responded in kind. 

« After seeing the earlier performance I don't feel so confident », admitted Charles.

« That doesn't count. Erik already sang that part and he knows his songs by heart, and Moira always dreamt of playing Christine », he answered calmly. « So just do your best, okay? »  
He smiled in response, getting ready for his moment.

His turn was after Alex's. But during his friend performance he couldn't help but to direct his attention in the search of Erik's eyes ─if he had gotten his name right. Charles had never had any interest in men; in fact he used to pick up girls at bars with the aid of his biology and genetics studies and that worked far better than he could have suspected. But the man that sang before him had picked his interest in a different way than any other man did before and when he caught him in the little crowd that was attending the audition, he couldn't help but to stare. He shifted his glare from his eyes, to the straight line of his nose, to his jawline. Everything about his appeareance felt harmonious. His eyes lingered on the man's lips, that were softly parted in an attentive expression. Then, suddently, they closed. Charles looked up to his eyes, and realized that Erik was looking at him, a lifted brow. He had been caught. He didn't flush, but smiled shyly, before turning around to look at Alex. Looking out of the corner of his eyes, he thought that he saw Erik smiling back and turning around. 

« Charles Xavier! » A voice called him jauntily. It was his turn.

He stood up, walking up on the stage. The guy on the piano smiled.  
« I'm ready when you are! » he exclaimed. He would have also singed Christine's part, since his song was a duet. Charles felt more nervous than he had expected to be. The lights being less intense than he thought, he was able to see the people seated in the front row, where Raven was sitting, weaving soflty at him and smiling.   
He nodded to the piano player.

_No more talk of darkness,_   
_forget these wide-eyed fears_   
_I'm here, nothing can harm you_   
_my words will warm and calm you._

His voice came out softer than he expected ─it looked like his nervosism had gotten the best of him. The second verse came out weakly too.  
But then he noticed. He saw that the man that he saw singing with such serenity and convinction was now looking at him, mouthing the words that came out of his mouth. Charles voice started to be more secure, without him really noticing. 

_Let me be your shelter,_   
_let me be your light._   
_You're safe, no one will find you,_   
_your fears are far behind you._

He was looking Erik and nticed that he was looking him into his eyes. He was trying to help him. He felt as if they were singing together and felt braver, warmed by the gesture and by the fact that it looked like Erik wanted things to go well for him. Charles found himself more and more captivated by the song, even closing his eyes for a moment when he sang the chorus.

_Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime_

He opened his eyes to look at Erik, that was still mouthing words to him, as if he was on stage with him.

_Let me lead you from your solitude_   
_Say you need me with you, here beside you_   
_Anywhere you go, let me go too._

He concluded his song with passion and, surprisingly, he heard someone clapping. It was the girl with the ponytail. « I think we have our Raoul! » she exclaimed, a smile wide on her face. He was walking off stage and Raven stormed to hug him. « Congratulations, Charles! »  
He got carried away: unexpectedly he had done exactly what Raven expected from him.

Behind Raven, Alex, and some other people that was congratulating him and introducing themselves, he saw Erik giving him an oblique smile.

He got the part. 


	2. Chapter 2

He still couldn’t believe that he was about to divide himself between his studies and this new unforseen activity; but he made a promise and he accepted the responsability that came from its consequences. After all, it couldn’t be so bad and it seemed like he would have had lots of fun with Raven’s friends and he already knew some of them.

The chance to get to know better the rest of them presented itself very quickly. That evening, after his study session, he saw a reply to a message he sent some hours before. He had written to Hank to know if he was in the mood to hang out and the answer apparently was yes.  _Let’s meet at the_ _Cross Keys_ , replied Charles. 

_You bet. See you in a hour_ , was the answer. Chales had the time to refresh himself with a shower and to wear a simple white shirt and a pair of brown pants, befout putting his coat on and going outside. The Cross Keys was an Engish Pub just around the corner from the campus’ entrance. He realized immediatly that his choice of dressing wasn’t fit for the occasion: it was a frigid December evening. The month had just started but it felt like the weather had gotten frosty suddently. It felt appropriate though for a December wind to be so biting, trying to cover every inch of naked skin felt fitting too and had a familiar kind of feeling. He arrived at the pub without being displeased at all. It was we ll past nine, and the  light in the alley was provided by old-fashioned green-tinted street lights. Half hidden by the obscurity of the night, a figure standed out thanks to the brightness coming out of the bar. He catched a point of light that burned in the dark and an instant later he distinguished a sharp jawline and two fierce and clear blue eyes. He was standing in front of the pub door, alone. He had  to  inevitably pass in front of him.

« Hey », he said to the man, smiling more than he would have wanted. The other though answered with a smile in reflection, lifting his eyes up to Charles. « Hey .»  
« I wanted to thank you for the audition thing », continued Charles, sincerly grateful. He wasn’t the type that would get embarassed by a thing like that: saying thanks to Erik for wanting to support him felt natural and talking to him too. Even if it was the first time.  
« I didn’t do anything. You were just a good singer », affirmed the other, before putting out the cigarette by throwing it  on the ground and  stepping on it.  « Having a night out? », he asked.  
« Actually yes, I’m meeting Hank. You should know him, he’s in the ensemble for the play. » Erik smiled ─ charmingly so, thought Charles. He was surely a heart-breaker, he added to himself jokingly.   
« H e’s inside with the others »,  said the other man.  «  Why don’t we go in? »  
Charles left up a brown in confusion but didn’t loose his smile, while following Erik inside. A glowing face and a hug gre e ted them both when they got inside.   
«  My two stars! »,  screamed the girl that had casted him and that he had learned to call ‘Kitty’ two seconds after meeting her. Her name was Catherine Pryde and was one or two years younger than him; she was the director and Charles understood immediately that the reason why nobody doubted calling her Kitty was because she was well-beloved by everyone and, in fact, adorable.   
Charles laughed, looking at Kitty’s reddened face:  «  I think you had too many drinks Mrs. Director »,  he said  pleasantly.   
«  It must be like that, or I wouldn’t know why she didn’t mention me in the list of her stars »,  joked the slim cat-eyed woman that he saw singing on the day of the audition.  She then smiled to Charles, that was being freed from Kitty’s bear-hug, while she tried to pull the same thing on Erik – that kept her away by putting a hand on her shoulder.   
«  Charles, right? It’s a pleasure, I’m Moira »,  she said, reaching out a hand to him. He shook it,  «  Enchanté »,  he added, a brow lifted.  It dawned to him that Hank had invited him to a cast party of some sort.  The man himself came closer to Charles. 

«  There’s more people that I would’ve thought »,  said he to McCoy, but with a smile that made obvious the fact that he didn’t mind at all.  «  Well, since you wanted to go out anyways I figured this would have been just fine »,  answered Hank with one of his faint shy smiles.   
  
It was indeed a fun night. Charles got to know a little more about the project and the staff.  
«  So »,  had started to explain Raven – that unsurprinsigly was there too even if she hadn’t mentioned it to him, maybe hoping to surprise him –  «  the actual company started many years ago, before any of us attended the colege. But when Erik and Moira joined, it had just started being a relevant activity again. Among all of us they are the ones that have done it longer. »  She took a sip from her beer.  «  But, in my humble opinion, this club would be nothing without Kitty. Maybe you’re not seeing her at her best, but she puts a passion on her work… that is amazing »,  she commented, underlying the first part of her sentence jokingly. 

T here was though a curiosity that felt more urgent than everything else: he felt drawned to Erik’s eyes everytime that he left his glare free to wander in the room: it always found its way towards the other man. Charles had to admit to himself that after the performance he saw him pull off without much effort he felt like he wanted to know more about him. And so he asked about him: to Raven, to Hank and then, to him.  
  
«  Having a beer all alone? »,  had asked to him. The man was sitting at the counter and barely turned towards him, even if Charles comment had caused a smirk to blossom on his face.  «  It looks like it. But you will be so kind to keep me company? »

«  What would  _I_ gain from doing it? »

«  My company »,  had answered Erik’s low voice, accompanied with a smile. Charles felt as if something inside him had melted, but he wasn’t sure if it had been Erik’s glare or voice to produce that effect.   
«  I guess I could try having a little bit of that »,  was his response, that he delivered while sitting on the stool next to him.   
«  I could ask what do you study but that woud be boring, wouldn’t it? »,  he continued.  
The other chuckled.  «  It’s the standard college question. I’m prepared to answer that  »,  he paused to drink some of his beer.  «  H istory. What about you?  »

«  I’m not into old stuff. I’m all about new discoveries »,  had mocked Charles, receiving a raised brow from Erik though he was still smiling.  «  Biology, hoping to get a PhD in genetics. »

«  Oh, we have an ambitious one here »,  commented the other.  


«  Something wrong about it? »

«  Not really. We all should be. »

There was something about talking with Erik that he couldn’t rationally grasp. He had always been an extrovert, outgoing guy so he never had problems making new friends or starting conversations at pub’ counters. But the one conversation he was holding in that moment felt so natural, and Charles wished   
inadvertently to have known Erik for much longer, feeling that he had missed out all the time he had passed not talking to him. 

The night quickly slipped through his fingers; he realized, catching a glimpse of the clock on the wall, that it was already 2.30 a.m. He passed all night talking to Erik. Suddently, he started hearing noises again, exiting from a world of muffled words he didn’t realize he had been him till that moment. Among the others –  halcyon  voices, glasses being taken from the tables and letting out a crystalline sound  when touching eachother – he heard the hushed sound of the murmuring rain. His eyes darted to the nearest window and behing the colorful pane he saw droplets drawing figures on it.  
  
«  Shit »,  he said abruptly. Erik looked at him, puzzled.  «  It’s raining. And a lot. »  
The other turned himself to the window.  «  And I’m guessing none of us has an umbrella »,  he commented, looking outside.   
«  That’s right  »,  sighed Charles, not really thrilled at the idea of getting soaked wet.  
«  Well, good thing is that you have a god friend with a big jacket  »,  smiled Erik at him, starting to get up from the stool and leaving money on the counter to pay for their drinks.  
  
«  What? »,  asked him,  with a doubtful but amused epression on his face. Erik was wearing a leather jacket.   
«  Well there’s really no other option but to make a run for it. I’ll cover us with my jacket. »  
«  That doesn’t look water-proof. »  In contrast with his snarky comment he was following  the other man  outside.  
«  If you don’t trust my plan you can always go alone. »  
«  Absolutely not. If we’re getting wet, we’re getting wet together »,  he  replied, feigning bravery and comradeship. 

E rik took off his jacket and raised it over their heads.  «  Keep close »,  he said , before darting on the cobblestone street.  He ran to keep up. They were getting wet anyways, but Charles didn’t feel cold, even if he acknowledged the wind blow ing aggresively in his face. He felt warm instead, trying to get glimpses of the other’s face, that every now and then was hit by the light – from cars, lamps, he didn’t know and he didn’t care. It  looked like his eyes glowed in the dark, while he laughed with him, his smile large and infectious. Again, the second time  that night, it felt that nothing else existed aside from them and that moment. Was he really crushing after this guy like an highschool girl? Even if the thought passed htrough his mind, he didn’t bother to pay much attention to it, while accidentaly stepping into puddles and probably ruining all the clothes he was wearing in a five minutes walk.   
  
They got to Charles’ dormitory door and while he entered, Erik stopped right outside of it, still smiling and a bit out of breath, while putting on again his jacket.  


« Well, your masterplan failed », commented Xavier.  
« Did it? », was his comeback. Charles didn’t have the time to say something back, since Erik had turned his shoulders on him and had started raining again.   
  
He gazed at him, disappearing around a corner, unable to let go of that last sentence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is even shorter than the other but I feel like I like it this way, without adding too much. As always, since I don't have a beta-reader, if anyone notices mistakes, let me know! I'll be sure to fix them ASAP.


End file.
